About This Artwork

Herter Brothers
American, 1864-1906
New York, New York

Cabinet, 1878/80

Rosewood with ebonized cherry, maple, walnut, satinwood, marquetry of various woods, brass, gilding, and paint
134.6 x 180.3 x 40.6 cm (53 x 71 x 16 in.)
Impressed twice on back boards: "HERTER BRO'S"; written in script in pencil on top boards: " N 238 Store"
Restricted gift of the Antiquarian Society through the Capital Campaign, 1986.26

American Art
Gallery 175

Herter Brothers was one of the leading firms designing furniture and interiors for the wealthy classes in New York during the Aesthetic movement in the late 19th century. In the decorative arts, Aestheticism, the doctrine of art-for-art's-sake, advocated bringing art to functional objects through tasteful design. In the late 1870s, Herter Brothers began to use motifs from Japanese art in their work, reflecting the great fascination with Japan, known as japanism, which was then prevalent in American culture. In this cabinet, the floral designs emulate Japanese paintings and lacquer, but the overall form is Western and includes elements derived from other cultures, such as Egyptian revival paw feet. Aesthetic movement designers readily combined such eclectic motifs as long as they achieved a sense of visual harmony.